High-Octane Brain: 5 Science-Based Steps to Sharpen Your Memory and Reduce Your Risk of Alzheimer's

by Michelle Braun, Karen Postal (Foreword by)

Overview

From a Harvard- and Yale- trained neuropsychologist and a national leader in the field of brain health, a science-backed program to boost memory and dramatically decrease the risk of Alzheimer's in five steps.
 
American adults fear Alzheimer¹s more than any other disease (including cancer), and because many people do not realize there is no genetic cause for 99 percent of Alzheimer¹s cases, they do not take the necessary steps to change lifestyle factors shown to significantly protect against the disease. In her debut book, board-certified neuropsychologist Dr. Michelle Braun inspires readers to make lasting improvements by understanding the truth about brain health and providing expert guidance through the maze of conflicting media advice on supplements, brain games, nutrition, and exercise. Braun interviews eight leading brain health experts, combining their insights with cutting-edge research to offer proven strategies to implement the five steps of the High-Octane Brain. Interactive exercises guide readers to develop a personalized program for optimal brain health. Dr. Braun provides a tracking system with a visual depiction of progress, and shows the High-Octane Brain plan in action through the lives of clients. Packed with valuable tips that you can implement immediately to minimize common "brain blips," exercises to boost your memory within minutes, and inspiring insights from nine High-Octane Brain role models ages 44 to 103, this groundbreaking book will finally put the future of your brain in your control.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781454937784
Publisher:	Union Square & Co.
Publication date:	09/08/2020
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	149,918
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 8.60(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Dr. Michelle Braun is a Harvard- and Yale- trained, board-certified neuropsychologist and a national leader in the field of brain health and cognitive functioning. She is a former instructor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and Assistant Director of Inpatient Mental Health at the Boston Veterans’ Administration Hospital. She was the featured presenter in a live PBS Next Avenue television program on brain health, and has been interviewed as a brain health expert on Fox Morning News, CBS, and iHeart Radio. Her work has been featured in national media outlets such as Family Circle, Medical Daily, and HealthNewsDigest.com. Dr. Braun has a popular column on brain health in Psychology Today and has been an invited speaker for the Alzheimer’s Association for the past 14 years. She lives and works in Wisconsin.

Editorial Reviews

"Although not everyone thinks about the future, in the life of an Olympic athlete we are always looking to the future, sometimes even four years ahead. Our brain and bodies now and in the future are our best tools, and when they don't work 100 percent we are in trouble. If we just treat our brain and body with the proper care, we may outlive our projected time frames. Given my mom had dementia and passed away in 2004 at the age of 86, I hope I can outlive her and be healthy at the time of my passing. Michelle shares with you how to take great care of your brain now and in the future, not just to lower the risk of Alzheimer's, but for better overall health and well-being!" —Bonnie Blair, five-time Olympic gold medalist

"Dr. Braun has written a life-changer, a life-enhancer. In clear, commonsense language with scientific facts, she is proving there is finally a way to fight Alzheimer's. Now [there is] hope where there was none." —Martin J. Schreiber, former governor of Wisconsin and author of My Two Elaines: Learning, Coping, and Surviving as an Alzheimer's Caregiver

"If you value your brain, and you want the best current advice on how to keep it healthy — what to do, and what not to do — then this book should become your bible.  It's advice is thorough, backed up by the best available research, and accessible. You can't change your genes, and you can't change your past life. But this book will show you that there can be real value in making changes going forwards, and what those changes should be."
—Barry Gordon, M.D., Ph.D, Professor of Neurology and Cognitive Science; Director, Cognitive Neurology/Neuropsychology Division, Department of Neurology; Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions and University, Baltimore, MD

"Dr. Michelle Braun is at the forefront of the exciting and promising field of' brain health,' and her new book, High-Octane Brain, empowers us all to steer our own aging path using a simple five-step program designed to engage brain health promoting behaviors to reduce dementia risk.Through a mixture of expert interviews, case examples, and practical suggestions, Braun uses her remarkable insights and crystal-clear writing style to convincingly argue that healthy aging is within our reach if we take the opportunity we all have to make healthy lifestyle choices. Written in a way that is inspiring to both lay and professional audiences, High-Octane Brain fills the tank with simple tools that allow users to implement her program and to measure progress. It is a 'must have' for those of us who work with aging populations, and those of us who want to invest in a more active, engaged, and healthy future for ourselves." —Russell M. Bauer, PhD, ABPP, Preeminence Term Professor,University of Florida; Director, Brain Rehabilitation Research Center of Excellence, Malcom Randal Veterans' Affairs Medical Center

"An emerging field of neuroscience points to the importance of a healthy lifestyle in reducing the risk of Alzheimer's. . . . Dr. Michelle Braun illustrates in a clear and concise style strategies to maximize brain health and stave off Alzheimer's. Unlike other brain wellness publications, this book is based on solid scientific evidence...In a time when there are still no pharmacological cures for Alzheimer's, this book shows us a path towards healthy brain aging: a book invaluable not only to the clinician, but to all of us aiming to enhance our brain health and quality of life in our later years." —Piero G. Antuono, MD, Professor of Neurology and Biophysics, Medical College of Wisconsin; Member, Medical and Scientific Advisory Panel, Alzheimer's Disease International

"Medical science has lessened the impact of many previously fatal diseases, but alas, not Alzheimer's, which threatens to overwhelm our health and long-term care systems and devastate more and more families. In the face of this crisis, Dr. Michelle Braun offers us a way in our everyday lives to confront Alzheimer's head-on, and cheers us on into believing we can succeed. In the process, she deftly straddles the complex worlds of neuroanatomy and brain science, condenses it all into concise lifestyle advice,and presents it in steps that are engaging, doable, and fun. Readers that follow her game plan will live much more enjoyable lives . . ." —Tom Hlavacek, Retired Executive Director,Alzheimer's Association Southeastern Wisconsin Chapter

"A "high-octane" brain is a one that is tuned to perform at the individual's optimal level. Neuropsychologist Braun (Psychology Today) has devised a Brain Health Action Plan to help achieve this goal, along with reducing and delaying the development of Alzheimer's. . . This book is an essential addition as it describes a practical and evidence-based behavior modification program (as opposed to passive apps or rote memory games) that, through consistent practice, has the potential to have positive and lasting effects on an individual's brain health." —Library Journal (Starred Review)
 

From the Publisher

★ 08/01/2020

A "high-octane" brain is a one that is tuned to perform at the individual's optimal level. Neuropsychologist Braun (Psychology Today) has devised a Brain Health Action Plan to help achieve this goal, along with reducing and delaying the development of Alzheimer's. Her method focuses on five lifestyle modifications that can help with maintaining brain health, and each factor is thoroughly explained and explored throughout five chapters: Exercise, Consume Healthy Food, Engage and Learn, Lower Stress and Boost Well-Being, and Sleep. These chapters also feature Q&As with experts in the field. Libraries should be aware that the book is also meant as a workbook, so there are some blank pages of the action plan and tracker system, and readers are instructed to stop and consider tasks throughout the text and complete the relevant pages. For public library collections, this book is an essential addition as it describes a practical and evidence-based behavior modification program (as opposed to passive apps or rote memory games) that, through consistent practice, has the potential to have positive and lasting effects on an individual's brain health. VERDICT An informative resource for all health collections.—Elizabeth J. Eastwood, Los Alamos, NM

Library Journal